I think this is due to DefExpr's eval method binding the Var to init.eval() first and attaching the supplied metadata to the Var later – see Compiler.java lines 341-352. (Note the Var is always already in place when init.eval() is called, regardless of whether it existed prior to the evaluation of the def / defn.) Thus the init expression supplied by defn sees the old (and wrong) metadata on the Var.